BlueJeanFood

Sang Kee Peking Duck House – Philadelphia (Chinatown), PA

Posted on October 15, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Sang Kee Peking Duck House – Philadelphia (Chinatown), PA

Sang Kee Peking Duck House (SK) in the Chinatown section of Philadelphia is the original location since 1980 of the many different variations of the Sang Kee brand all over the Pennsylvania and New Jersey region now. With wanting to see what put SK on the map, I decided to go with their namesake, Peking Duck in their Peking Duck Dinner for two option. The dinner consisted of Wontons with Vegetable Soup, chopped Peking Duck with Pancakes and Hoisin Sauce, Shredded Duck Meat with String Beans in a XO Sauce, and their House Special Fried Rice.

Let me start out by saying the dinner was flat-out phenomenal. The wontons in the soup were light yet flavorful with a nice selection of vegetables throughout. The chopped pieces of Peking Duck were very meaty with the skin nice and crispy and not too fatty like a lot of places that serve duck and once put in the fresh warm pancake covered in the hoisin sauce, every bite was like floating in a cloud of wonderful tastes. The shredded duck with string beans in XO sauce was also a nice surprise. The spices of the sauce give the dish a slight spicy kick, yet it did not drown out the duck flavor or take away from the crisp string beans and other fresh veggies sautéed in the dish. To finalize the dinner, the house special fried rice really brought it all together. I am not usually a fan of these sort of rice dishes, but SK really pulled it off with high quality and fantastic flavors.

The staff at SK was very friendly and the pace at SK is very fast. Everything seems to be moving at the speed of light, from servers bouncing around to food being brought out to tables being bused for the next round of diners to sit down. It was very loud in SK and with the fast pace surrounding me got to be a little much to me. SK is perfect to eat your meal there, but also perfect to bring home with you as well at a very affordable price for what you seem to be getting here. SK has been around for over thirty years and has grown into a name brand destination for many patrons in many different towns now, and if they keep up doing what they are doing I see them getting thirty more years and many more locations to come.

Overall
Four and Half Stars out of Five

Ferment Your Event Party

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

(The following is a special series on Bluejeanfoodcritic.com written by guest contributing writer William Knowles. He highlights his passions of trying something new whenever the opportunity presents itself, or possibly something old, but new again since it has been awhile. I hope you enjoy his very special perspective that I am sure many of you can relate to. Follow him on his exciting journey “Around Town”)

The Philly Tour Hub recently opened shop at 229 Arch St. in a historic building in the Old City Neighborhood of Philadelphia. The newly renovated facility recently held an open house to spotlight a few regional businesses looking to expand the public’s knowledge of them. Philly Tour Hub is a new private venture that offers walking and riding tours of our great city. Segway tours are also available to the destination of your choice.

Another venture highlighted was Ferment Your Event, an upstart agency that will liven up your office party, business workshops, dinner party, and fundraising events and so on by providing a unique take on the ever growing world of craft beer. Owners Tara Nurin and Gary Rosen specialize in creating specialized beer menus for your event big or small, and their expertise in the industry dates back years. They have partnered with gourmet chocolatier Elyissia Chinchilla, who founded 2 Chicks with Chocolate in Northern New Jersey several years ago with her mother. The novelty pairings of beer and chocolate surprised and impressed the visitors, including myself.

The beer and chocolate were more than enough to have a great party, but to top it off, Tuk Tuk Real, a combination Thai and Mexican restaurant located at 428 South Street, provided amazing food (notably a great pork kaprow taco).

All in all, it was a unique way for multiple businesses to get their word out, while emphasizing fun by thinking outside the box. See you at more events like this, around town…

More info on:

Ferment Your Event – CLICK HERE

2 Chicks with Chocolate – CLICK HERE

Philly Tour Hub – CLICK HERE

Tuk Tuk Real – CLICK HERE

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Posted in "Around Town" and tagged 2 Chicks with Chocolate, beer and chocolate event planner philadelphia, beer and chocolate events, chocolate and beer events, Elyissia Chinchilla, Ferment Your Event, gary rosen, philly tour hub, tara nurin, Tara Nurin and Gary Rosen, Tuk Tuk Real. Bookmark the permalink.

Miles Table – Philadelphia, PA

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Miles Table – Philadelphia, PA

The burger was once a quick and cheap lunch option. That was in the past, before the burger revolution. Now it seems like everyplace I go touts they have the perfect burger and charge a price that demands perfection. I happened to stop in Miles Table (MT) with their sleek and modern décor and hipster vibe to try their burger rendition.

MT seems like a restaurant, but everyone must order at the front of the establishment. The order process was slow and tedious with others in front of me in line asking everything imaginable about what they were about or not about to eat. The girl behind the counter was obviously frustrated with the steady stream of nonsensical questions while yelling into the kitchen or the dining area to alert new food orders or orders that were ready for pick up while music is blaring throughout the restaurant. With such confusion and loudness it really took away from the feeling that I think MT is trying to exude, which I assume they are aiming for soothing rather than shocking. Once able to order I asked for the Miles Burger which consisted of ground chuck, apple wood bacon, remoulade, brioche, cheddar, and hand cut fries.

It was a good combination and the fries were absolutely fabulous, but the burger had some big misses. First I ordered the burger medium. I did indeed get medium on half of my burger as well extremely rare on the other half. The odd part as visible in the picture as well is that the bacon was the same exact way. One piece was nice and crispy and the other soggy as hell. It is almost as if only half of my burger was on the grill and very odd the way it came out. MT seems to have the right mix going on from the food to their beautiful interior. They are just missing out due to the execution and delivery of what I think they are trying to provide on both fronts. A few tweaks and MT could go from OK to oh you have to go.

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The Pop Shop – Collingswood, NJ

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

The Pop Shop – Collingswood, NJ

The Pop Shop (PS) became an adult hot-spot the minute they were featured on Food Network “Throwdown with Bobby Flay”. What PS is truly known for is a fun filled meal for the young and young at heart. With lines wrapped around the corner most weekends with throngs of children just as rambunctious as they are hungry, PS has been off my radar for quite some time. That was until I had a rambunctious hungry little one myself. We visited for lunch one weekday, and PS was still a packed house. Now I know why PS is expanding to Medford, New Jersey to the former Farmers and Mechanics Bank on Main Street there.

The interior of PS is bubbly, loud, bright, and friendly. The staff was just great especially with the amount of wildness a house full of children provides. They really focus to make sure each child is enjoying themselves, while also being able to keep service moving and lag time minimal between ordering and food being served. My order would be Swiss Mushroom Burger with fries.

It was not the best burger I have ever had, but the mushrooms were plentiful, and bun was toasted nicely. The burger was a decent size, but could use a little seasoning and maybe a better blend of meat to give it a better texture. I enjoyed how they put the bbq sauce on the side to allow me the ability to put as much as I would want on the sandwich, and the fries were nice as well.

After the meal a balloon was giving to my dining partner, which just made his day. PS is a nice change of pace to the normal stuffy dining establishments we visit most times. On a rough day or week, it is nice to get out of your element and bring the kid inside yourself out again. I would not or could not go to PS on a regular basis, but for a special comfort food meal with a crazy and fun atmosphere mixed in, it is a treat and the childlike behavior that comes out of us we all need sometimes to get out of a funk.

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Posted in Restaurants and tagged collingswood kids restaurant, grand opening of pop shop medford, grand opening of pop shop medfored, medford kids restaurant, places for kids to eat south jersey, pop shop collingswood, pop shop collingswood new jersey, pop shop coming soon medford new jersey, throwdown with bobby flay grilled cheese restuarant. Bookmark the permalink.

The Perfect Peach

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

(The following is a special report on Bluejeanfoodcritic.com written by guest contributing writer Angela Timm)

Tuesday, September 9, The Tortilla Press, Collingswood, New Jersey. Summer comes to a triumphant end for one South Jersey amateur baker. After months of delicious competition the five South Jersey finalists for the 2^nd Annual Perfect Peach Pie Contest sponsored by the New Jersey Peach Promotion Council sat face to face in a final showdown of the sweetest kind. Phyliss Rudolph, of Ventnor, impressed judges at the Margate Farmers Market. Anne Danilak, of Mickleton/East Greenwich Twp, took the title at the NJ Peach Festival at the Gloucester County 4-H Fair. Gretchen Gautier stole the show with impeccably fresh glazed peaches and shortbread pie crust at the Hammonton Downtown Market. Bill Paulin, Brigantine’s Pie Guy, won first place against friendly but fierce competition at the Brigantine Farmers Market. Cheryl Pope was the hometown favorite after her victory at the Collingswood Farmers Market. Judges Chef Mark Smith from The Tortilla Press, Michael DiBartolo, owner of DiBartolo’s Bakery, and John and Mary Ebert, from Springdale Farm crowned perfection among its peers.

And the Grand Prize winner was….Gretchen Guatier from Hammonton!

After the announcement, I enjoyed carne asada tacos served on fresh corn tortillas topped with onions, lime, and cilantro garnished with generous amounts of roasted tomato jalapeno salsa and tomatillo avocado salsa.

There could be no finer way to celebrate this season’s delicious and abundant harvest of peaches.

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Posted in Small Bites Radio and tagged farmer market peach pie contests in new jersey, New Jersey peach pie council perfect peach pie grand winner, New Jersey peach pie council perfect peach pie grand winner Gretchen Guatier, New Jersey Peach Promotion Council. Bookmark the permalink.

Little Tuna – Haddonfield, NJ

Posted on September 3, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Little Tuna – Haddonfield, NJ

Situated right in the heart of Haddonfield, New Jersey’s bustling downtown is Little Tuna (LT). You walk through a small, yet charming seafood market in order to get to the restaurant. Once inside the décor is modern and fresh and a nice change from the usual fishing nets and ocean paraphernalia found hanging around most seafood establishments. LT had a decent sized crowd for lunch the day I visited and I would start my meal off with a bowl of roasted lobster bisque with sherry.

This might have been one of the top five lobster bisque soups I have ever had. If this soup tastes this good every day, I wonder how LT does not have a line of customers out the door with bowls in hand waiting for a ladle full of this liquid gold. It was creamy, sweet, extremely flavorful and generous with portions of lobster meat. The only thing I would change would be that I would like a jar of large oyster crackers to accompany the soup instead of two packets of the smaller crackers. Up next would be honey jalapeno sea scallops.

The scallops came served in a metal sizzling dish topped with a honey jalapeno sauce and stuffed with crab meat. The meal also included carrots, broccoli, and mashed potatoes. I really liked the flavor combination of the honey jalapeno topping the scallops and the crab meat added was delicious and portion generous. The vegetables were crisp and cooked nicely as were the mashed potatoes. The scallops were overcooked just slightly, but were of decent size. The service at LT was efficient and friendly and the prices were reasonable for a nice seafood restaurant. LT served me one of the better lunches I had in some time and I look forward to trying even more things from the in the future, unless I just fill myself with that amazing roasted lobster bisque with sherry.

Overall

Four and quarter Stars out of Five

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Posted in Restaurants and tagged haddonfield new jersey, Little Tuna – Haddonfield, little tuna restaurant, nice seafood restaurant in south jersey to go on a date, review of little tuna, seafood south jersey. Bookmark the permalink.

Iron Hill Brewery – Maple Shade, NJ

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Iron Hill Brewery – Maple Shade, NJ

Situated a little off the main roads sits Iron Hill Brewery (IHB). It was a zig-zag of roads it seemed to get there, and their sign popped out of nowhere. Once inside the place is gigantic. It is a good thing as a large crowd was already there and they were hopping for lunch service. I can only imagine what happy hour or the weekends look like at IHB. It is no secret IHB’s big draw is beer, but I came here to eat, was with my toddler aged son, and for his mother to approve of this lunch I did not think drinking would be advisable having to drive him home. After a brief overview of IHB from the bubbly server, the order of the day would be their House Smoked Pork Sandwich.

The pork sandwich consisted of hickory smoked pulled pork with St. Louis style barbeque sauce on a toasted bun. I must admit that I was not expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised. The pork was moist, not chewy in the least, and had a nice even consistency throughout while the sauce really enhanced and was a joy to eat. The fries were above average, cooked perfectly, and portion size was not an issue in the least.

One of the things that surprised me the most about my visit to IHB was the amount of children present. I second guessed bringing my son there, but once inside they treated him like a rock star, provided him with his own crayon set to keep, and they have one of the best children’s menus I have seen around at a very affordable price.

This was my first time to any IHB as they have many locations, but it will certainly not be my last. They have intrigued me with their menu, quality, fast and friendly service, and most importantly their unique beer selection which I will try next time without bringing the little guy with me.

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Posted in Restaurants and tagged beer south jersey, best kids menu, craft beer south jersey, iron hill brewery, iron hill brewery beer, iron hill maple shade, iron hill maple shade review, iron hill review, pulled pork. Bookmark the permalink.

Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, NJ

Posted on August 20, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, NJ

Sitting on a sidewalk across from the South Jersey Port Corporation in Camden, New Jersey that has definitely seen better days is Belinda’s Lunch Bus (BLB). If and when I would have a reason to divert through this area to get on Interstate 676, BLB always intrigued me. I decided to stop in and get a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on a bagel.

The inside of BLB is somewhat amazing with the transformation as they were able to turn an old school bus into a quasi-diner. They have a television to watch, a long table and chairs on the driver side of bus, drink and condiment station on passenger side of the bus, counter in the middle of the bus, and kitchen taking up the entire rear. The interior of the bus is very clean and immaculate and the two women working that day could not have been nicer to the crowd waiting, which you could tell had a lot of regulars as each person knew each other by name. The bus was packed with patrons and tractor trailers surrounding it on both sides of the road waiting to get in or leaving the port. I called my order in twenty minutes before arrival, but sadly still had to wait another fifteen minutes before my order was ready. I do not rate breakfast, but what I can tell you is that my sandwich was delicious, bacon crisp the way I like, and felt welcome at BLB. You may have to wait quite a while to get what you came for, but you will as least hear the news of the day in and around the port while you are there.

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Posted in Small Bites Radio and tagged Belinda’s Lunch Bus, Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, Belinda’s Lunch Bus review, camden lunch truck, camden new jersey, food truck morgan blvd and broadway camden, South Jersey Port Corporation in Camden. Bookmark the permalink.

Porky’s Point – Philadelphia, PA

Posted on August 13, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Porky’s Point – Philadelphia, PA

I love the other white meat, pork. I also loved my visit to Puerto
Rico a few years ago with their love of pork on almost every menu.
Well Puerto Rican pork is alive and well sitting in the Hunting
Park section of Philadelphia with Porky’s Point (PP). PP may be
located in a rougher area of Philadelphia than most are comfortable
to visit, but they are serving some of the best pork around.

As soon as I walked up to PP’s windows to order, I knew I was in
the right place for me with a sign that states, “We do not sell
lean pork”. What they do sell is tasty pork, as well as many other
specialties like tostones, mofongo, pastellios, rice and beans,
relleno de papa, and platano con carne. My order would be a pork
sandwich with hot sauce.

The roll was fresh with a nice crisp exterior that enabled the
interior to suck up all the pork juices and hot sauce, while the
roll did not become soggy at all on the outside. The pork was a
mixture of pieces from all over the hog, skin and all, then put on
a butcher block and chopped to perfection allowing each bite to be
uniform with very generous serving of pork in the sandwich. The
hot sauce gave the sandwich just that extra flair, while not
overpowering the pork’s fantastic flavor.

Service was very friendly, but the menu seemed a little erratic in
a mix of some things only listed in English and others only listed
in Spanish with some items crossed out on both and additional
signs dotting the windows of other options to possibly order. The
prices were very reasonable and line moved quickly at the rush of
a lunch crowd. If PP could put the time into making two excellent
signs of their menu offerings, one in English and one in Spanish
to hang in the windows, they could really help out a lot of
prospective customers to choose wisely and returning customers to
try new things. I would not recommend a night-cap at PP to give
them a try, but a mid-afternoon lunch should be a must for any
pork lover out there.

Cap’N Cats Clam Bar & Tavern – West Deptford, NJ

Posted on July 23, 2014 by Bluejeanfood

Cap’N Cats Clam Bar & Tavern – West Deptford, NJ

Cap’N Cats Clam Bar & Tavern (CNC) feels a bit out of place in West Deptford, New Jersey. The exterior and interior of CNC seems more fitted for an on the water back-bay sort of local seafood bar, not a landlocked standalone establishment. Doing the best they can with no water around them, I give CNC credit for doing it up in the middle of nowhere. I just wish they would have given as much thought and energy towards the food as they did the decor.

Ever hear of the saying what goes up, must come down? Well that is how my meal went at CNC. Things started out quite nicely with an order of Steamed Shrimp. They were generous in size, seasoned beautifully, steamed to perfection, and came with a nice cup of melted butter that most places do not give with an appetizer of shrimp. The sweet shrimp combined with the warm salty ooze of the butter had the shrimp just melt in my mouth.

The downhill spiral started to begin my cup of Snapper Soup. The soup was extremely light in any aspects of snapper or seasoning being in the soup and it almost had a taste of being thinned out. I do not know if they were running out of the soup and decided to stretch the last bit out for me or if this is how it is always served. If this is how CNC always serves it I would recommend anyone who has never had snapper soup to try it here first as it is a light version of a very thick and hearty soup that I am used to and if you like CNC’s version of the soup you will love other places that do it even better.

To finish the evening, my scallops with a side of french fries were served. I will begin my rant by stating they were served with double-breaded french fries. Anyone who has followed me in the past knows my feelings of a restaurant copping out by using these cheap incarnations of something resembling a french fry, but are far from it. To make matters worse, the scallops were so overcooked it might have been easier to digest a bouncy ball instead of these things. Scallops are such a wonderful treat to eat when done well, and a terrible tragedy when done wrong. I had such high hopes for CNC after the steamed shrimp, but sadly things ended much worse than they started out.

CNC has a nice bar area and an even nicer seafood display as soon as you open the door to enter. I have a feeling I may have ordered completely wrong at CNC. They call themselves a clam bar and I shied away from eating even one clam from them. If someone was to invite me to have a drink at CNC, I would order the steamed shrimp again and try my luck with something clam related. I could even see myself just buying some fresh seafood from the display case and taking it home to enjoy. I just can not see myself ordering the snapper soup or scallops again.

BlueJeanFood

Sang Kee Peking Duck House – Philadelphia (Chinatown), PA

Ferment Your Event Party

Miles Table – Philadelphia, PA

The Pop Shop – Collingswood, NJ

The Perfect Peach

Little Tuna – Haddonfield, NJ

Iron Hill Brewery – Maple Shade, NJ

Belinda’s Lunch Bus – Camden, NJ

Porky’s Point – Philadelphia, PA

Cap’N Cats Clam Bar & Tavern – West Deptford, NJ

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